Seat Time, Win Lights on Demke's Mind at Carolina Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

CONCORD, NC (September 14, 2016) – Maddern Racing Top Alcohol Dragster driver Chris Demke enters this weekend’s NHRA Carolina Nationals as a past event champion, but he’s never actually hoisted a coveted “Wally” trophy at zMAX Dragway. Demke hopes to change that this weekend, though.

“I would love to add Charlotte to the list of racetracks where I’ve won. It’s one of Bruton Smith’s tracks, so it’s an awesome racing facility. It’s the only four-wide dragstrip in the world, and it’s in the heart of racing country. The fans in the Charlotte area are all about any kind of racing, and they love drag racing,” said Demke, who won the 2014 Charlotte event as part of a trifecta weekend during which Demke won the Carolina Nationals, Keystone Nationals, and the NHRA Lucas Oil Series national championship.

The 2016 NHRA Carolina Nationals, Sept. 16-18, is Demke’s second race back in the seat of his championship-winning Maddern Racing dragster after walking away from a violent crash in the team’s formerly experimental “X-car” at the Seattle regional race. With just a couple weeks between the crash and the prestigious U.S. Nationals across the country in Indianapolis, the Jerry Maddern and Kevin Watson-led team worked to prepare the second Peen Rite dragster for Indy. Demke qualified sixth with a 5.287 and bowed out in the second round.

While winning is always on the minds of the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products team, Demke will spend this weekend focusing on the mental aspect of successfully pursuing race wins and a second national championship.

“After my crash in Seattle, getting back in the seat at Indy was challenging. The old saying about getting back on the horse really holds true. I would’ve liked to do better at Indy, but our team is very satisfied with our performance. In the end, it was my driving that failed us. The only thing that’s going to solve that is more laps. The sooner I get back in the seat, the sooner I get back to one hundred percent behind the wheel,” Demke claimed.

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products Top Alcohol Dragster team will take to the zMAX Dragway quarter-mile for Friday’s qualifying sessions around 11:30 AM and 1:45 PM. A third and final qualifying session is scheduled for 10:30 AM on Satuday, followed by first round of eliminations at 5 PM. Eliminations will continue on Sunday.

Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Kevin Watson, Aimee Maddern, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, Robert Hadaller, and Ryan Miller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.Facebook.com/MaddernRacing.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Hoosier Racing Tires, Motorsports Unlimited, VP Racing Fuels, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Meyer Leaves Charlotte with First Event Win, National Points Lead

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photos courtesy of Randy Meyer Racing

CONCORD, NC. (April 26, 2016) – A/Fuel dragster rookie Megan Meyer and her family-based team continue to impress in their bid for the NHRA Lucas Oil Series Top Alcohol Dragster national championship. Meyer drove her Racers Evolved dragster to her first national event victory at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals last Sunday, marking just her second national event start.

 

Meyer, the daughter of 2003 world championship tuner Randy Meyer, qualified number two with a 5.252 ET at 278 MPH. Randy gave her a consistently quick and fast race car as the 22-year old driver marched through eliminations with elapsed times of 5.308, 5.281 twice, and 5.325, all at or approaching 280 mph. Meyer and final round opponent Josh Hart were close for the first half, but the Racers Evolved machine charged ahead for the Four-Wide Wally.

 

“It was so emotional. Going down the track, I saw Josh’s nose disappear behind me by half track. I was cheering by the time I pulled the parachutes. It was everything that you dream of. It was a very emotional moment for me and for my parents. We were all crying. We were all so happy. It didn’t take us long to get this first win, but it’s been a long process. This is something we’ve been planning my entire life. It’s finally here and it’s exactly what I thought it would be,” Meyer said.

 

Meyer also received a reward for her offseason work behind the computer screen, as the NHRA presented Randy Meyer Racing with the Best Appearing Crew award. She also won Best Appearing Car at her first race last month.

 

 

“Winning that award was very rewarding. I had some help from Matt Levonas with the design. He helped design the car wrap and crew shirts. We worked together, then we had some help from Racers Evolved because the look came from their Megan Meyer Signature Series shirts. As a designer, it felt good to get those two awards at my first two races. My dad has won Best Appearing Crew before, but never Best Appearing Car, so that one was special for Randy Meyer Racing,” added Meyer, who majored in Graphic Design.
 

In addition to the on-track action, the RMR team enjoyed spending time with Charlotte-based sponsor GUNK. The team attended a Charlotte Knights baseball game with GUNK’s TORC Truck racer, Arie Luyendyk Jr., before the race. Meyer also had the opportunity to bring GUNK’s Junior Dragster driver into the staging beams for a four-wide exhibition on Sunday.
 

“That brought back a lot of memories. It’s hard to believe it’s only been five years since I made my last pass in a Junior Dragster.”

 

With her first national event win out of the way, Meyer and her team will continue to focus on consistently winning rounds. She’s been to the final round at four of the five events she’s ever entered, with three of those finals being in 2016. The Charlotte win gave her the national points lead as the team heads into the NHRA SpringNationals in Houston this weekend, a race RMR has won the last three years in a row.

 

 

“We’re all very excited for Houston. I do feel a little extra pressure after that first win to keep it going, but I have an amazing crew. It’s my parents and my uncle and a few guys who help out at various races. Those guys have been with us for years and they know how to do every job on the car. Having that consistent crew makes for a consistent car,” Meyer noted confidently.

 

Fox Sports will air their Lucas Oil Series coverage from the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on FS2 at 9 PM ET on Thursday, April 28. Re-air dates are scheduled for April 29th at 12:30 PM (FS1) and May 1st at 10 AM (FS2).

 

ABOUT MEGAN MEYER

No stranger to a life in the fast lane, Megan Meyer grew up around the sport of drag racing. In 2004, at just 10 years of age, she was given the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Junior Dragster, alongside her younger sister, and took over the driving duties with no hesitations. Megan stepped up to the Super Comp class in 2010 after a successful career in the Junior Drag Racing League, earning two track championships. She is now making the transition to Top Alcohol Dragster with her father and veteran driver Randy Meyer as her mentor and driving coach. Follow Megan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/meganmeyer.racing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/meyersisters), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/meganmeyer.racing).

 

ABOUT RANDY MEYER RACING

A highly respected member of the NHRA Drag Racing family, Randy Meyer has had a successful career spanning over 35 years of drag racing as driver, team owner, and crew chief from AHRA Pro-Comp to IHRA Top Fuel and NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster. Focusing on the things that brought the team to existence has been the reason that Randy Meyer Racing has been so successful. In 2002 he handed the driving duties over to Gary Ormsby Jr. to become the first Top Alcohol Dragster to run in the teens with a solid 5.135 ET. The following year, Meyer tuned Alan Bradshaw to become the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion. Randy has returned to the driver’s seat since then, and has earned multiple Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 5 and Central Region points championships. For more information on Randy Meyer Racing, please visit www.RandyMeyerRacing.com and like RMR on Facebook (www.facebook.com/randymeyerracing).

 

Megan Meyer and the Randy Meyer Racing team receive support from the following companies: Racers Evolved, Lucas Oil, NGK, Gunk, Herbalife 24 Nutrition, Team Racepak, Litton Financial, ARP, Horsepower & Heels, Boninfante, Copeland Race Cars, Taylor Cable, Aeromotive, and Clevite.

Booher Caps Off Four-Race Stretch with Runner-Up Finish at Carolina Nationals

CONCORD, N.C. (September 23, 2015) – Former NHRA Carolina Nationals event champion Brandon Booher came just one win-light short of adding a second Charlotte Wally to his trophy case this past weekend. Booher fell to 2011 Top Alcohol Dragster national champion Duane Shields in the Carolina Nationals final round, capping off a four-week stretch of races for the family-owned team out of Champaign, Illinois.

“We started in Bowling Green with new cylinder heads from MBE – that definitely picked up our program. Not being able to field a competitive car in hot weather was something that was hurting us before. We could run well in good air, but so could everyone else. Now I feel that we can be competitive anywhere. Then we went to Indy with a new front-half. We had some issues there, then ran well in Earlville. We were able to finish strong this weekend at Charlotte, qualifying solidly in the field and reaching the final round,” Booher commented.

Booher drove his torque-converter-equipped dragster to the No. 4 qualifying spot with a stout 5.325 et at 271.95 mph. His supercharged machine struggled to get off the tricky starting line in the following qualifying sessions and subsequent rounds of elimination. Booher left the line first in all four rounds, first beating Wayne Morris with a 5.424/270.37 mph pass. He used a sizable holeshot to dispatch rookie Josh Hart's 5.428 with a 5.486 et. Booher had to pedal to a 5.509 in the semifinals, but opponent Robin Samsel also struggled to hook up to the zMax Dragway surface. In the final round, the AB Construction dragster was out of the gate first with solid lead, but Shields drove around Booher's 5.444 to win with a 5.318 pass.

“It was good to go to a final round. It would've been that much sweeter to win the Wally, but Duane made a hands-down excellent run in the finals. We bounced back and forth between lanes in eliminations. It was like I was always a run behind. When these things shake and you have to pedal them, it's not good, especially when the guy in the other lane is running a 5.31. I think it was definitely an issue plaguing almost every class. The starting line surface was marginal at best, and the starting line is where these supercharged alcohol cars are at their best. It was a successful outing. It could've been a little better, but nothing to hang our heads over,” Booher said.

The versatile driver/tuner attributed the recent uptick in performance to the efforts of some of his product partners – MBE Cylinder Heads, MVM Motorsports Products carbon fiber wheelie bars, and longtime Booher Racing chassis builder Spitzer Race Cars.

Matt (Bieneman, of MBE) and I had been working together on some stuff off and on with Brandon Snider's Pro Extreme car, and I really saw the potential in the MBE heads with what Brandon accomplished with his own car. I was able to secure a set for my car. Matt stepped up big and it's definitely been a great partnership so far and no doubt will continue to be one as we take what we're learning on this car with a small cubic-inch motor on the quarter-mile, and progressing forward. We're already discussing things we want to change for next year.

“Matt and his company definitely are at the top of their game. They have some of the best people operating some of the best machinery. He's at the track, he's involved, he's helping out when necessary and that goes a long way. I think that's something people should consider when they're looking to purchase cylinder heads.

“We also started working with Mike and Frank Valerio at MVM Motorsports Products on the carbon fiber wheelie bars. Previously we were having issues with the moly bars. After tire shake or just general use, they would be bent, bowed and the metal lost memory. That's adding another variable into the tune-up. With the rigidity that the carbon offers, you have something that is no longer a variable. We shook the tires hard on five runs this weekend, and the wheelie bar is as strong as it was the day we got it.

Mike Spitzer and I have been together for around 20 years, from Junior Dragster to Super Comp, Super Eliminator and Pro Top Outlaw, to Top Alcohol and the new Top Alcohol Dragster we had them build in 2010. Anything I need, it gets done. I've said it before, but it's like family there. Indy was a shining example of the kind of service they offer to their customers. I pulled into Spitzer's shop early Sunday morning, broke the news that I needed a new front-half by Wednesday, and they didn't bat an eye. They had other stuff going on, other stuff they could've been doing, but they got it done. That's a pretty big statement right there. They just take care of their customers, and that's one of the reasons why Mike and his team have been successful in this business for decades and he'll continue to be until he decides he doesn't want to do it anymore.

“Those are three big partners that help us whenever they can, and in return we try to translate that quality into results on the race track. For what we have and what we spend, I definitely think it's there,” Booher decided.

As Booher points out, a strong support system of manufacturers is critical to a small team like his, especially one running a torque-converter in a class full of time-tested clutch set-ups.

“You're talking about a combination that was laughed at when it came into the class,” Booher said of his converter-equipped blown alcohol car. “That has transitioned into petitions being drafted against the combination, and negative comments from opponents' crew members on the return road. I just don't see how better-funded teams with full-time crews can complain about the torque-converter set-up being unfair. We operate on a shoestring budget, and as far as crew, I have a carpenter in my father, a network engineer in my brother, and a writer for Drag Illustrated. It's not like there's a bunch of engineers sitting up in the lounge. This is a labor of love. Whatever it takes, somehow, someway – I'm not sure sometimes how it gets done, but it gets done. That drive and determination is what's made us successful. We also couldn't do it with the companies and individuals listed above, among others. They make a world of difference.”

In addition to sitting ninth in NHRA Lucas Oil Series national points, Booher is second in North Central Region points. He must reach the final round at next weekend's regional race in Noble, Oklahoma to overtake Mia Tedesco, who holds a ten-point lead but is out of races to claim. Unfortunately for the 2013 North Central regional champion, he will likely sit out the rest of the season unless sponsorship opportunities arise.

“As it stands right now, Charlotte is our tenth and final race this year. It's been a good season, but there comes a point where you can't spend what you don't have. We're not going to race on credit cards. I have a wife and a new daughter. It's been a heckuva year – a win, two runner-up finishes, and two semifinals in regional competition. Mia just had a little better of a year, and my hat's off to her and the Hirata team for it. If someone wanted to work with us on a marketing partnership, or just wants to see me throw some dice out there, that's the only way it can happen,” Booher admitted.

ESPN2's Sportsman coverage of the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway airs at 7:30 AM ET on Saturday, September 26th.


ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from MBE Cylinder Heads, MVM Motorsports Products, Goodson Tools, Spitzer Enterprises, and Torque MGMT.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Lindberg Makes Quickest & Fastest Runs in TAFC History, Wins Charlotte

Courtesy of Lindberg Bros. Motorsports

 

Cool air and a tight racing surface at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, N.C., presented racers with the chance to make record-setting performances at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals on March 27-29, and Jonnie Lindberg was ready to seize the opportunity. He not only became the first Top Alcohol Funny Car on the planet to break the 5.3-second and 270-mph barriers, but he capped it off by scoring his second NHRA win.

“When I saw the forecast for the race, I thought, ‘This is my chance. If the track is good, I know we can run 270,’” said Lindberg. “The conditions were perfect. It was amazing. With a good track and that air, you can’t get much better than that. You’ll probably have to wait 10 years to see it again.”

After setting the speed record during his last outing in Gainesville at 268.71 mph, Lindberg surpassed that on his first qualifying attempt on Saturday (Friday qualifying was cancelled due to rain) with the first 270-mph run in class history with a 5.473 at 270.10 mph despite pedaling the car to get through early tire shake. He saw that there was more left and tuned up his 2010 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for a run that the drag racing world would soon be talking about.

 Lindberg launched hard down the left lane and kept charging to a screaming 5.361 at 272.01 mph. The 5.361 elapsed time was a half-tenth quicker than the previous quickest run in NHRA history set by Frank Manzo four years earlier.

“It had a really good tune-up, and it was a perfect run,” said Lindberg. “The car was amazing. I brought it up in low gear, I shifted it, and it was amazing how fast it accelerated. It felt like a 5.39 or a 5.40. When they told me it was a 5.36 at 272, I was stunned.

“It was a good run. It was as good as it can be. The engine looked brand new on it. The parts really work good together. The heads, the rockers, everything works good. I didn’t hurt a thing this weekend, so it was perfect.”

Lindberg left the capacity crowd in awe, but his job wasn’t done yet. He needed to run an e.t. within one-percent of the 5.361 to back up the record, and he also had his sights set on winning the race. He overcame tire shake to run 5.574, 263.77 to beat Bill Naves in the first round. In the second round against Brian Hough on Sunday (a rematch of the Pomona final), Lindberg took his shot. The result was a 5.381, 270.64.

“The track was cold and really good in the morning, so I just went for it then,” said Lindberg. “I knew I can run a high-5.30. I put a pretty aggressive tune-up in it and ran a .38. After that, I backed it down again because I wanted to win the race.”

Lindberg ran 5.523 in the semifinal round to defeat Dan Pomponio Jr., who won the event in 2013 and 2014. That set up a final round matchup between Lindberg and 2014 NHRA champion Steve Harker.

Harker had traction issues, and Lindberg ran a strong 5.406, 269.94 to collect his second Wally trophy of the 2015 season in only three starts.

“It was a really smooth run,” said Lindberg. “I didn’t want to run that .36 and then not go down the track again. The 5.38 and 5.40 proved that we can repeat.”

 

Lindberg left the event with not only the win and both ends of the national record, but he also recorded the three quickest elapsed times (5.361, 5.381, 5.406) and four fastest speeds (272.01, 270.64, 270.10, 269.94) in NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car history.

“I think this was a perfect weekend,” said Lindberg. “It can’t be much better than this. To top this off, I probably need to go for the championship. That’s the plan now. I don’t have all the funding in place to go for the whole championship, but I’ll work hard to figure it out. I can’t stop now.”

Lindberg Bros. Racing extends its gratitude to supporters Manton Pushrods and Rockerarms, Manley Performance valves, Noonan Race Engineering cylinder heads, Leanders Clutches, Composite Specialties injector hats, Bullet Cams, Jan-Cen, Red Line Oil, XRP, Kjelland Transport, CPI, Total Projekt, Geoveta, Scania, BST, Fastec, VSM, Scandrock, Birka Motorrenoveringar and Scott Gaddy Racing.

The teams’ next event will be the O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA SpringNationals at Royal Purple Raceway in Houston, Texas, April 24-26.

Television coverage of the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals will be broadcast on ESPN2 on April 5 at 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET/8:00 AM - 9:00 AM PT.

Blown Engine Sidelines Permatex/Follow A Dream Team

Courtesy of Follow A Dream Inc.

Marstons Mills, MA-April 1, 2015-Jay Blake's Permatex/Follow A Dream team qualified in the fast half of the field at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, as it has at every race this season, but didn't get a chance to parlay that performance into a deep run in eliminations when an engine explosion on the final qualifying attempt knocked the team out of the race.

"It wasn't tuneup-related," Blake said. "It was a parts failure. The spark plugs looked like they'd never been run, and the computer showed that everything was perfect until a connecting rod broke. It's a tough way to lose, and we just missed getting everything back together in time to make it to the lanes for first round."

After persistent rain Friday wiped out both scheduled qualifying sessions, driver Todd Veney ran a 5.57 at 262 mph Saturday morning. About three and a half seconds into what was going to be an even better run, a rod snapped and drove itself out the side of the block, setting off a chain reaction that ended when the supercharger backfired, blowing the burst panel out of the body and creating a mountain of work for the crew.

"I was already through the 'shake zone,' well into second gear and just about to hit high, when it blew up," Veney said. "It's a shame. We had low e.t. of the entire first session for the left lane, and the car wasn't that hopped up. [Tuner] Tom [Howell] got after it for the second session and the car responded. That was going to be within a hundredth of a second of our best run ever [5.52] until the rod broke."

The crew leaped into action as soon as the car returned to the pits and just missed completing the engine swap in time. A new engine was just coming to life in the pits when Veney's scheduled opponent, Gatornationals winner Ulf Leanders of Sweden, ran an on-and-off-the-throttle 6.07 to beat alternate Tyler Scott.

The next race is an East Regional April 24-25 at Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Va., where three years ago the Follow A Dream team set low e.t. and top speed and won the race.

Tedesco Scores Charlotte Top Alcohol Dragster Victory

Courtesy of Tedesco Racing

On the surface, it appears as though Mia Tedesco and her Hirata Family Racing team dominated the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals with their C.A.R.S. Protection Plus / WeFindParts.com backed A/Fuel entry. The team qualified on the pole with a staggering 5.22 ET, and went on to win the event; marking the first national event victory in Tedesco’s short but decorated driving career. Domination, however, was not the word the 21-year-old driver used to describe her outing. Instead, the descriptions that she provided repeatedly included words like “lucky,” and “blessed.”

“We were really good in qualifying,” she admitted. “We came into the race with a lot of confidence, and that certainly was reinforced on our first two runs.”

Tedesco came out of the trailer with a strong 5.28 ET in the first qualifying session, then backed it up with a 5.22, the quickest pass of her career. That number paced the field, as she earned top qualifier honors for the first time in national event competition.

Come eliminations, things got a little bit dicey. The team was forced to change engines prior to round one, where the C.A.R.S. Protection Plus / WeFindParts.com machine shook the tires. But Tedesco did a masterful job of pedaling the car to regain traction, and easily defeated Mike Lewis despite an off pace 5.54 ET. That cost Tedesco lane choice in a second round matchup with Marty Thacker.

“We were very concerned coming into round two,” Tedesco explained. “We kept hurting engine parts and we were fighting the shake issues, so we were focused on making a good run on our side of the track. But at the same time, we know how good Marty Thacker is. We expected him to be good on the tree, like he always is, and to run a mid-5.30. We knew that round would be a huge challenge.”

Just off the starting line, Tedesco’s machine again briefly shook the tires, and she once again worked the throttle to recover and post a solid 5.47 ET. She caught a break when Thacker’s normally consistent machine slowed with mechanical trouble.

In the semi-final round Tedesco got an even bigger break, and she didn’t even know it.

“We were paired with Randy Meyer, whose driving and team is just amazing,” said Tedesco. “We knew we’d have to be nearly perfect to get past him. When I left, the car shook hard. I pedaled it, but I watched him drive away from me. In the shut down area I was telling myself, ‘A semi-final finish is a good outing,’ and I was already turning my mental focus back to the Super Gas car, because I was still in that category. When I turned off the track, the TV cameras were coming to my car, not his. I still didn’t put it together until they told me he had fouled, I never saw the red light.”

With new life, Tedesco entered the final round opposite Jake Allen, conceding lane choice for the third consecutive round after posting a 5.72 ET in the semi-final round. In the final, the C.A.R.S. Protection Plus / WeFindParts.com machine hooked up and got off the starting line with no tire shake, but began losing cylinders down track. Once again, Tedesco could see her opponent and figured she was in for defeat.

“He was ahead of me the whole way, then as we neared the finish line, his car just shut off and he disappeared. What a feeling.”

Tedesco got the victory with a 5.50 ET at 263 mph, upending the 5.66 / 227 mph effort of Allen.

Despite earning the biggest win of her driving career, Tedesco’s day was not done. In addition to handling the driving chores of the Hirata Family A/Fuel dragster, Mia was also behind the wheel of her familiar C.A.R.S. Protection Plus backed Cavalier Super Gas entry, which she also drove into the late rounds of competition. After earning the victory in Top Alcohol Dragster, Tedesco advanced to the semi-final round of Super Gas, falling to eventual champion Jim Perry.

“I feel as good about our Super Gas performance as I do the TAD win,” Tedesco expressed. “I had been struggling lately in that car, and it was great to get some confidence back. I just screwed up in the semi-finals, it was completely driver error – our car was really good. But we had a lot of fun, and I feel like our entire program is on the upswing. Running two cars deep into eliminations was hectic, but I really enjoyed the pace. We’ve bracket raced for several years, so I’m used to hopping from one car to another and making back-to-back runs in a matter of minutes. I live for it.”

The win was both gratifying and emotional for Tedesco. She and her A/Fuel team struggled in preseason testing and at their opening event, the Amalie Oil Gatornationals. Even in the course of victory, they faced adversity throughout the weekend; the car broke one motor and the team went through six cylinder heads. Tedesco also had family on hand to witness her victory. While family has always been important to her, it’s taken even more precedence in recent months.

“Our team is amazing, what can I say?” She smiled and continued, “I knew we could do this. After all we’ve been through our guys are always upbeat and always ready for the next challenge. To win in front of my family was just surreal. I don’t think my mother has ever seen me win, and she was there. My aunt and cousins drove down from Pittsburg, so being able to share that moment with them was just incredible. A month ago, my uncle Carmen passed away unexpectedly. We’ve all been grieving and trying to cope, so this win is for him. And my little sister Natalie is serving our country in the armed forces. I told her when she left for basic training that I’d dedicate my first win to her. So we won one for Natalie, and after the way things played out – with all the good fortune we had – I have to think uncle Carmen was looking over us.”

Mia Tedesco thanked God, her family, and her team: Jason, Krusty, Josh, Kenny, Dave Hirata, Grayson, Chiyo, Molly, and LouLou. In addition to C.A.R.S. Protection Plus, WeFindParts.com, and AAMCO, the Tedesco Racing team relies on quality products from Renegade Race Fuels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Abruzzi Transmissions & Converters, Quick Fuel Technologies and Wilkerson Racing Engines. To keep up to date with the latest news on Mia Tedesco and the Tedesco Racing Team, follow Miss Mia on Facebook and Twitter.

For Michalek Brothers Racing, Charlotte is a Long Time Coming

Courtesy of Michalek Brothers Racing
Photos courtesy of David Smith

Just under one year ago, Corey Michalek entered his debut race in the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster class, the 2014 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, behind the wheel of a 3,500 horsepower A/fuel dragster with wide-eyes and a great appreciation for having the opportunity to compete against some of the best Top Alcohol Dragster drivers on the planet. Three days later, a dream was realized when MBR and Dreher Motorsports crossed the finish line at nearly 270mph on Sunday afternoon to take home the Wally trophy in Corey’s first ever start.

“We went from having mechanical issues that wiped out both runs on Friday, to getting in the show under massive pressure with a career best lap during Q3 on Saturday,” said Corey. “From there, the Drehers had the car dialed in running close to low E.T. each round of eliminations and we rode a huge wave of momentum all the way through the finals on Sunday. To this day, the memories from that weekend still seem surreal.”

Fast-forward to less than a week before the 2015 installment of the NHRA’s 6th annual spring race in the Tar Heel State and the tone gets a lot more serious. While last year’s Charlotte victory remains sweet, Michalek continues to hold on to what could have been in his second race behind the wheel, this time at his home track in Norwalk, Ohio, where the team bowed out as the #11 qualifiers without contesting the first round of eliminations due to parts attrition.

“On the other side of the spectrum, I have extremely high goals for myself and the team each time we pull into the track. Going back to my first experiences racing with Mark Thomas, I saw firsthand what it takes to be elite in this sport. My mentality has always been that whenever you don’t win a race, you didn’t complete your task. I have a sour taste in my mouth from Norwalk and I feel like I left something on the table as a driver, personally. I’ve spent the last 8 months prepping so that I have zero doubts when I get strapped into the car this weekend that I’ve done everything that I could do to be prepared.”

Validating last year’s inaugural performance is something that Corey has on his mind after attempting only 9 runs in all of 2014.

“Shortly after the Charlotte race, Brandon Booher said to me, ‘Welcome to the champagne room of drag racing…now anything aside from a win is unacceptable.’ Coming from someone who fields one of the premier cars in the class and someone who has been there before, I’ll never forget that because it validated what I had always believed was the only way that you should approach a race. It’s blunt, but it’s a mindset you have to have in order to be the best at what you do. I respect how difficult it is to have success at any level of this sport, but at the same time, I only get the chance to race once or twice a year so I strive to be a force every time I get an opportunity to do so.”

MBR rolls into Bruton Smith’s recently repaved “Bellagio of Dragstrips” in Charlotte, NC for the 2015 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, the first of three scheduled races in 2015. Long-time partners, Kenan Advantage Group, Champion Spark Plugs, Speed-Pro, Fel-Pro, and Sealed Power, and newcomer, GoPro cameras, will adorn the side of the Dreher’s injected-nitro machine.

“We are very fortunate to be able to continue competing at this level and we couldn’t do it without our partners Champion and KAG who stepped up as our primary sponsors for 2015,” said Kyle. “We have a lot of exciting on and off-track promotions planned this year, and we can’t wait to get started in Charlotte!”

MBR’s return to the track is made possible due to their partnership with Dreher Motorsports, now beginning its third year. Under the guidance of veteran and standout Top Alcohol racers, Randy and Jared Dreher, Corey looks forward to what the two teams can do together in 2015.

“This will be our third consecutive year partnering with Dreher Motorsports and they are the driving force behind the success that we have had in our short time in the class,” said Corey. “Randy and Jared have worked for years to refine their tune-up and they field one of the most formidable cars on the property each time they show up to an event. If the car is on and we do our job behind the wheel, we are very confident that we’ll be able to continue to contend each time we pull up to the line.”

MBR kicks of their 2015 season this Friday with two qualifying runs at 11:45AM and 3:00PM. The team returns for their third and final qualifying pass at 11:45AM on Saturday with the first round of eliminations following soon after at 3:00PM. The eight remaining Top Alcohol Dragsters will then battle it out for the Wally with the final three rounds of eliminations taking place on Sunday at 11:45AM, 2:00PM, and 3:45PM.

For additional MBR information and updates, please “like” the Michalek Brothers Racing FACEBOOK page and follow @MichalekRacing on TWITTER and INSTAGRAM.

Demke Sweeps NHRA Nationals Weekend at Maple Grove

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

MOHNTON, Pa. (October 8, 2014) – 2014 NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster national champion Chris Demke swept the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway last weekend, clinching the championship on Friday, winning the rained-out Carolina Nationals on Saturday and claiming the NHRA Nationals event win on Sunday. The weekend was a fitting end to a whirlwind championship chase that took Demke and the Peen Rite team across the country multiple times since the season started in February.

“This weekend has been indescribable, considering I didn't even want to go to this race. I feel like a fool for arguing with my crew as they certainly had the right idea coming here and had more confidence in our ability to perform than I did,” Demke admitted.

Demke qualified No. 2 for the NHRA Nationals while finishing eliminations from the Carolina Nationals, running a best of 5.281 at 273 MPH during the second round. He fired off a shot heard around the Top Alcohol world in the first round of racing for the NHRA Nationals when the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products dragster traveled the Maple Grove quarter mile in 5.217 seconds at a wicked 277.94 miles per hour, the fourth-quickest blown alcohol pass in history and the single fastest blown alcohol run ever.

“After winning the championship on Friday then the Charlotte race early in the day Saturday, the pressure was off. We were ready to unleash and see what the car would run more than we were concerned with winning the Maple Grove race. When we ripped off that 5.21 at 277.94 MPH on Saturday night, that was a prime example,” said the Maddern Racing crew member-turned driver.

Demke, team owner Jerry Maddern and tuner Adam Rhoades set the car on kill mode for Sunday's eliminations, confident in their ability to dip into the five-teens.

“We came up with some ideas to make it go faster on Sunday. The first run on Sunday was a little over the top. I had to pedal it and had some engine problems at the top end. Luckily we did win that round,” Chris said.

Demke's pedal job was enough to win over Top 5 driver Rich McPhillips in a 5.25 to 5.32 race. Existing engine damage from that abusive run resulted in a backfire during the semifinals but opponent Mike Lewis suffered his own troubles earlier in the run, so Demke coasted through to the final round. Waiting for him there was 2011 national champion Duane Shields, who ran 5.23 in his semifinal race. The Peen Rite team almost didn't make it to the starting line in time for the final, but both car and driver were more than on time after that, leaving first with a .005 reaction time and winning with a 5.26 ET to Shields' 5.39.

The experienced blown alcohol dragster driver isn't new to winning big events, as he recently won the 60th Anniversary U.S. Nationals at Indy, but this weekend carried a different type of excitement.

“Winning Indy was special, don't get me wrong, but every year someone gets to win Indy. What we pulled off this weekend – winning the championship, a rain-delayed race and the actual race all in one weekend – that doesn't happen every year. It was a truly astounding feat for these guys to pull off. I'm still on cloud nine; it hasn't really hit me.

“I couldn't really let my guard down until after we won the championship and the Charlotte race. Once that final win light came on Sunday afternoon, it finally hit me that I was the 2014 world champion. I don't know which one of these wins to celebrate. It's just an incredible feeling. I wish I could bottle it up and sell it because I'd be a millionaire if I could.”

While extending thanks to team owner Jerry Maddern and crew members Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller, Chris Demke also noted the fellow TAD competitors who helped the Peen Rite team during eliminations.

“I want to thank all of the east coast teams who came over to help us get the car turned around between the later rounds. We've had the west coast teams step in to help when we needed to get work done quickly but to see the east coast guys help out when we're on their turf really made me happy. It really is one big Top Alcohol family. I want to thank Mike Kosky especially for loaning us his fuel pump. Stephany Schuster and Kristen Wetzel from Frank Schuster's team stepped in to help. We had guys from Dave Hirata's crew helping too. It was an amazing group of people and my hat's off to them for coming over to help.”

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team will skip the Las Vegas national event to service the car and hauler, as the equipment has been on the road since leaving for the Topeka race in May. Demke might compete at the Las Vegas regional race, November 7-9, but will definitely finish out the season at the NHRA Finals, November 14-16, at Maddern Racing's home track, Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.


Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, Jet-Lube, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Demke Within Two Round Wins of First National Championship at NHRA Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

MOHNTON, Pa. (October 2, 2014) Top Alcohol Dragster national championship contender Chris Demke didn't anticipate a stop at the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway until he fell a couple rounds short of clinching the title at the last race in Dallas. Demke, who would've locked up the championship with a win at Dallas, lost to title rival Joey Severance in the semifinals due to a broken blower belt. This weekend, the California native is competing in two races – the remainder of eliminations from the Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals and the NHRA Nationals.

“The Charlotte make-up race counts as my tenth race and the last race I can claim for points. While I'm here at Maple Grove, I'm really only thinking about Charlotte. Although we brought enough oil and parts to run both races, our first focus is winning the Charlotte race,” Demke claimed.

This weekend will be a test for the recently successful Demke and his Maddern Racing teammates, who won several races during the hot summer months. With cool temperatures expected throughout the NHRA Nationals, the Peen Rite team will be faced with conditions they haven't seen in months.

“Finishing the Charlotte race at Maple Grove doesn't fall into our strategy at all. We wanted to hit as many hot, higher altitude races as possible. Maple Grove is one of the quickest, if not the quickest, tracks in the country because of the great air and cool weather. The cars make a lot of horsepower here,” Chris explained.

Demke, who runs a supercharged, methanol-burning entry for team owner and stepfather Jerry Maddern, will have a close eye on his nitro-injected A/Fuel competitors this weekend. The nitro-burners typically excel in the conditions that will be present at Maple Grove Raceway.

“Coming here to chase the championship is very much like coming into the lion's den to finish this out. The A/Fuel cars will probably have the advantage but I have every bit of confidence that our car will be able to produce an enormous amount of horsepower this weekend. Our other option would've been going to Vegas or Pomona to finish this out. Because we did win first round at Charlotte, we're that one round closer to winning the championship. That's why we came here,” Demke noted.

The remaining three rounds of eliminations from the NHRA Carolina Nationals will be completed during qualifying for the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, PA, October 3-5. Q1 on Friday morning will serve as the first qualifying session for the Maple Grove race. The quarterfinals and semifinals from Charlotte will be contested during Q2 (Friday afternoon) and Q3 (Saturday morning). The final round race will take place before the first round of eliminations for Maple Grove on Saturday evening. Maple Grove eliminations continue on Sunday.

Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Demke Could Clinch National Championship at Fall Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

ENNIS, Texas (September 18, 2014) – Three-time Top Alcohol Dragster national championship runner-up Chris Demke is within striking distance of his first national title. A win at this weekend's Texas AAA NHRA Fall Nationals at Texas Motorplex is all it would take for Demke to clinch the championship. The Californian driver won five of his recent races, as well as the first round of the delayed Carolina Nationals at Charlotte. The Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products driver has Charlotte in the mirror and has switched his focus to winning a championship.

“I thought I had to go to Charlotte and Dallas to have a chance at wrapping up the championship. I figured since Charlotte was delayed there was no way I could lock it up at Dallas, but that's not the case. So now I'm excited. I can just taste it. It's certainly not a guarantee; it's a tall order. I'm just thrilled to be in this position,” said the excitable Demke.

“I say that I'm not going to think about it (the national championship) but of course I'm going to think about it. At the same time I know I'm just going to Dallas to have a good time. If we keep our heads down, our shoulders squared and we keep executing like we have been at the last few races then there's a chance we can come out of there in good standing.

“But certainly going to Dallas and expecting to win, there's no way I can expect that. The last guy to beat me in eliminations and the guy with the best chance of taking the championship from me, Joey Severance, will be there. Not only him, but Shayne Lawson in Randy Meyer's car. A host of very competitive cars will be there. It's going to be an extreme challenge but one I believe my team is up to,” Demke claimed.

Joining Demke, team owner Jerry Maddern and the Peen Rite team at the race this weekend will be a special guest.

“I'm bringing my girlfriend, Cookie, my good luck charm. She was at Pomona at the beginning of the year and she went to Acton and Columbus – three of the races we won. I hope her support will help us win this race and the national championship,” Demke said.

The Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster team was racing at the Pep Boys Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway, where they won first round before the rest of the race was delayed. The remainder of Carolina Nationals eliminations will continue at the Reading, PA national event, Oct. 3-5 at Maple Grove Raceway.

“They're going to make up Charlotte at Reading, which is fine. We won't make the decision to go or not until we're done with Dallas. If we need to make the trip to Maple Grove, then we're on our way. We're going to go where ever we need to go to make this championship happen.”

Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

Demke Taking Hot Streak to Pep Boys Carolina Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

CONCORD, N.C. (September 11, 2014) – Top Alcohol Dragster's Chris Demke is taking his hot streak to the southeast for the Pep Boys Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway this weekend. The 2014 NHRA U.S. Nationals champion and his Maddern Racing teammates are continuing a season-long road trip in search of their first national championship. With a healthy points lead and only a handful of events left in the season, Demke wants to stay hot.

“Momentum is important,” he said. “The thrill of winning a national event certainly lasts a lot longer with Indy, but it's time to get back to business, put that win behind us and focus on Charlotte. I only have two claimable races left so I need to make the most of my opportunities.”

The crew member-turned driver has already earned three 2014 nationals event wins, including the prestigious Labor Day tradition, the U.S. Nationals. Demke also won the last four NHRA Lucas Oil Series regional events he attended.

“We've learned a lot in these last few races. We have the best handle on the tune-up that I've seen in a long time so it's just a matter of keeping the crew, the tune-up and my driving synchronized so we can continue winning rounds like we know best,” Demke claimed.

The decision to continue east for the Carolina Nationals came down last minute. Blown alcohol cars like the Peen Rite machine typically have an advantage in warm weather, leading Demke and the Jerry Maddern-owned team to strike while the iron – and the weather – are hot.

“The idea behind going to Charlotte is to keep racing while the weather is warm. Now looking at the forecast, that won't be the case this weekend. It's either going to be cold or it'll rain. Our tune-up has done well in the warm weather of recent. I'm interested to see how it will hold up when the weather gets cool. If everything works out right, our car should lay down a (five) twenty on just about every pass. I don't want to get arrogant or set expectations too high but I know the performance is there. We just need to execute,” Demke declared, adding, “Whether it's cool or warm this weekend, I'll have cold samples of Morningwood Energy Drink to pass out to fans.”

Chris Demke and the Peen Rite/OSI/Boost Performance Products team will take to the zMax Dragway strip for Pep Boys Carolina Nationals Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at 11:30 AM and 5:30 PM on Friday. Another session will follow at 11 AM on Saturday. Eliminations begin at 4:30 PM Saturday and continue on Sunday morning.

Maddern Racing is a family-owned and operated NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team based in Southern California. The team's Chris Demke-driven Peen Rite/Operational Solutions/Boost Performance Products blown alcohol dragster is owned by Jerry Maddern and crewed by Adam Rhoades, Kevin Watson, Mike Demke, Greg Rice, and Robert Hadaller. For more information on Chris Demke and Maddern Racing, please visit www.MaddernRacing.com.

Maddern Racing receives support from the following companies: Peen Rite Inc., Operational Solutions Inc., Boost Performance Products, B-G Detection, Afco, LA X-Ray, and Morningwood Energy Drink.

TAN Driver Blog - Kyle Michalek - TAD

 

Hello everyone! It's been two months since our last blog and a lot has happened both on and off the track.

MBR started the 2014 racing season strong at the 5th annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina. With Corey driving and Randy and Jared Dreher making the tuneup calls, we were able to take the Champion Spark Plugs/Dreher Motorsports A/fuel dragster all the way to the winner's circle! This win was extra special because it was the first NHRA national event victory for both MBR and Dreher Motorsports.

After about a month off, we returned to our home track, Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH, for the 8th annual Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of Stars regional where I took over the driving duties for the weekend. This event is the premier regional event on the NHRA Lucas Oil Series tour, and I was the runner-up at this race in 2013 during my Top Alcohol Dragster debut.

Our plans coming into the event were to take it one step further than last year to hopefully win the race this time around, but it just wasn't meant to be. Severely cold temperatures on Friday night led to tire-shake and an aborted run during Q1. Huge crowds packed the place all day on Saturday, but unfortunately Mother Nature wouldn't give us a break and there wasn't a single car that went down the track the entire day. That left us with one last-ditch attempt to qualify for the field on Sunday morning and a broken clutch linkage after the burnout sent us home early.

Despite the cold and rainy weather, and a DNQ, we still viewed the event as a success. This race marked the debut of MBR's partnership with the Kenan Advantage Group (KAG) who served as the team's primary sponsor during the event. We really enjoyed interacting with the KAG employees and their families at the track. It was fun showing KAG what we do, and why we are so passionate about NHRA drag racing. We really appreciate KAG supporting our team and believing in us.

KAG was also able to interact with race fans throughout the weekend as they actively recruited new mechanics and CDL truck drivers. For more information about great job opportunities with KAG nationwide, you can browse and apply for available positions here (https://intelliapp2.driverapponline.com/c/kenan?r=raceRacecar).

Things have been equally busy away from the race track as well. I finished grad school, accepted a promotion, and began a new job in Houston that I'm currently in the process of relocating to from Ohio. It has been crazy the past two months and there's never a dull a moment!

Looking ahead, we'll be back on-track July 4-6 at the 8th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, OH. Corey will jump back in the driver's seat for this race and it will be his first time competing at the Bader's famed facility. The remainder of the 2014 season after the Norwalk event is yet to be determined, but it is safe to say it has been an eventful year so far!

Nitro or nothin’.

Kyle Michalek

Kyle and Corey Michalek drive the Dreher Motorsports-prepared Champion Spark Plugs/Kenan Advantage Group A/Fuel Dragster. The brothers were the first winners of Champion's "Search for a Champion" contest. For additional MBR information and updates, please “like” the Michalek Brothers Racing Facebook page and follow @MichalekRacing on Twitter and Instagram.

Booher Starts Season with Four-Wide Runner-Up

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

CONCORD, N.C. (April 15) – As he anticipated, Top Alcohol Dragster driver/tuner Brandon Booher started his 2014 season in the same way he ended his last season; running in the low five-thirties and racing to the final round. The Champaign, Ill.-based driver overcame powerful A/Fuel competitors and parts breakage to persist through eliminations at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway near Charlotte last weekend.

Booher made a statement in the opening qualifying session, posting a 5.324/274 MPH blast down the race track. He backed it up with consistent 5.330 and 5.327 elapsed times during the later two qualifying sessions, but it was his first run of the season that was good enough to place him sixth in the field of nitromethane-injected A/Fuel dragsters.

“It's what I wanted the car to do,” Brandon said of his first run. “I knew we could pick up right where we left off. That sort of went with the plan of getting down the track and having something to tune off of. The 5.32 at 274 was exactly what we wanted, but things didn't go as swimmingly as I would've liked after that run.”

Booher narrowly escaped his Saturday first round race against Rich McPhillips. Brandon had to pedal his blown alcohol dragster, ultimately knocking off the supercharger and burning a piston. The numbers were astounding; Booher left the starting line first with a .037 reaction time, McPhillips with a .038. Brandon was first to the finish line with a 5.447 elapsed time, McPhillips with a 5.448. Just two thousandths of a second separated the two.

Eliminations continued on Sunday, when Booher automatically defeated Don Nolan, who red-lit. The 2013 NHRA North Central Region TAD champion won his semifinal match over Jackie Fricke with a 5.369/270 MPH run. The Booher Racing team's good day went bad less than an hour later. Brandon had to be pushed back after the burnout for his final round race against Corey Michalek, then broke shortly after leaving the starting line. All damage assessed; an annihilated transmission, a connecting rod through the engine block, and a hurt crank. Still down after losing the race, the team went to work on the car, removing the spent engine and replacing it with a new one for the next race.

“The guys are hard workers; they know how to work and they know stuff has to get done. The last thing I was worried about was if there was a problem, whether or not we'd get it fixed. This weekend it seems like things were stacked against us as far as attrition rate and parts breakage. It was nothing that anybody did wrong, it was just one of those things that happens. The guys did great. The final round was definitely not their fault,” Booher claimed.

A preventable issue kept the AB Construction dragster from making a final round run at the trophy, leaving the ultra-competitive Booher extremely disappointed in the final outcome.

“We just didn't have enough time to do all of the required maintenance. We literally had eighteen minutes from the time the car pulled into the pits until the time we had to head to the staging lanes. I suppose both teams were dealing with the same amount of time, we just had more maintenance we needed to do. The car suffered a lot of damage in the final, and that all could've been avoided with fifteen more minutes of turnaround time,” Brandon commented.

The race results from this weekend's race at Charlotte told Brandon and his team that while they have a car capable of winning races, it won't be easy.

“There are some strong cars out there. I believe we're one of them. Look at how many A/Fuel cars were running in the five-twenties this weekend. As eliminations came around, things just sort of went our way. We got very lucky first round against Rich McPhillips. That's a car that can and has run five-twenties. Then Jackie (Fricke) smoked the tires mid-track. We had a good car, but going forward it's going to be tough.”

Brandon and the AB Construction/Torque MGMT. Top Alcohol Dragster team will next race at the NHRA North Central Region season opener in Indianapolis, April 25-27.

ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional champion-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Motorsports Unlimited Performance Parts Distributors, Spitzer Enterprises, Torque MGMT, Bell Helmets, and PK Construction.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Randy Meyer Improves at Four-Wide Nationals

Courtesy of Randy Meyer Racing

April 15, 2014 – Randy Meyer, driver and team owner of the Randy Meyer Racing Team returned to zMAX Dragway to compete in the 2014 NHRA 4-Wide Nationals this past weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Meyer struggled to enter the qualifying field for the first two qualifying sessions, but he was able to make new strides on the second day of the event, placing his A/Fuel Dragster in the fourth qualifying position with a 5.29 e.t. at 274 mph.

Faced against Dan Mercier for the opening round of eliminations, Meyer made more improvements as he made the quickest and second fastest pass of the round; a consistent 5.29 e.t. at 275 mph for the win.

The second round paired Meyer up against rookie Corey Michalek. Unfortunately, Meyer’s 5.33 e.t. at 274 mph lost to a close race against Michalek’s 5.31 e.t. at 272 mph. Michalek went on to win the race.

“We fixed our problem from Friday’s qualifying and were able be back in the top half of the field. We have a great racecar and ran a good race, things are looking good for our team. Thank you to our friends and sponsors who came out to support us, and congratulations to Corey on winning his first national race,” Meyer said.

The sportsman racing of the 4-Wide Nationals will air on ESPN2 on 4/20/14 at 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET/8:00 AM – 9:00 AM PT.

Meyer will take a break to recover while getting his second Top Alcohol Dragster, driven by Chase Copeland, in line. His oldest daughter, Megan Meyer, will start her racing season this weekend at Heartland Park Topeka.

The Randy Meyer Racing Team would like to thank their 2014 partners: Lucas Oil, Smart Chicken, NGK Spark Plugs, MOTOR MEDIC, Quik-Latch Products, Boninfante, Taylor Cable, Belzona Industrial Solutions, Rezner trailers, ARP, MAHLE Clevite, Hedman Hedders, and Moroso.

Red-Hot Duane Shields Cools off Slightly in Round Two at Four-Wide Nationals

Courtesy of Rich Bailey

(Concord, N.C.) The PEAK A/Fuel Dragster continued to perform in competitive style at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals until round two where Duane Shields lost a very close race to Jackie Fricke. The PEAK Team ran well throughout qualifying as Duane put the PEAK Dragster in the number two position with a 5.25 at 275 MPH. The success in qualifying naturally spurred confidence that the PEAK Team would do well in eliminations.

In round one, Duane faced number 15 qualifier Dan Page. At the hit, Page got a sizable lead out of the hole but the “PEAK Express” ran like a cruise missile and passed Page at the 330 foot mark and held on to win the round with a respectable 5.34 at 272 MPH to Page’s competitive 5.47 at 263 MPH. “The car shook a little bit so I had to give it a quick pedal" Duane said.

Duane then moved on to the second round to race Jackie Fricke. At the hit, Fricke got a slight lead off the line with an 0.47 reaction time to Duane's 0.60 but he was still right there with her as they raced all the way down the 1,320. Both cars were side by side but Frickie got the win by just four feet as both cars ran nearly identical ETs. Duane was just a fraction quicker and posted a 5.364 at 267 MPH to Fricke’s 5.368 at 264 MPH. “We both had good lights and she ran really well. Since the car shook slightly on the last qualifying pass and because I had to pedal in the first round we made a timing and clutch adjustment. The two adjustments slowed us down a little too much and it gave us our slowest run of the weekend. Only one adjustment was needed".

Even though Duane lost in the quarterfinals he was still upbeat. “You know, when your 5.36 is your slowest run of the weekend you have to feel pretty good that you have a competitive and consistent car that can get down most tracks. We have never done real well in Charlotte even though we have made it to the final round here once before”. The PEAK team now moves on to Houston where they won the regional event earlier in the season. Duane would like to thank PEAK Antifreeze and Motor Oil, Final Charge, Blue Def, NGK, GRP and Brad Anderson Enterprises.

TAD Regional Champ Booher Kicking off 2014 Campaign at Four-Wide Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion
Photo courtesy of David Smith

CONCORD, N.C. (April 8) – NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster regional champion Brandon Booher is back in the United States after a two-month racing series took him to Qatar to work as a tuning consultant. The torque converter-savvy Booher is starting his 2014 campaign at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway this weekend, April 11-13.

Brandon spent most of his “offseason” in Qatar, joining Brandon Snider's ADRL Pro Extreme team as a tuning consultant. After working on and running the blown-alcohol Pro Mod almost daily, Booher is excited to be back to tuning and driving his AB Constuction/Torque MGMT dragster.

“When I got back from Qatar, I was almost burnt out from racing. We basically ran a full season's worth of runs in six weeks straight. I slowly started getting things ready, but the season starting on the west coast really motivated me to get everything ready for our season. Now I'm fully prepared to start off right where we left off,” Brandon said, hinting at his first-ever national event win at the Carolina Nationals here last September.

The Top Alcohol Dragster landscape has been altered slightly since the Booher Racing team last raced. Two-time national champion Jim Whiteley retired from the class. The rival nitro-injected A/Fuel teams were awarded three beneficial rule changes over the winter. Despite the changes, the Illinois-based driver is set on maintaining the routine and mindset that took him to two national event finals last year.

“I'm still going to follow the same plan that we had through all of last year; take small steps to improve in qualifying so we have a solid, consistent tune-up capable of going rounds on Sunday. The rule change doesn't bother me; you still need to get down the track and reach the finish line first. I'm just going to concentrate on putting the best package out there for the guys with me and the people who support us and see where we end up. Hopefully it's in the winner's circle,” Booher claimed.

Never one to rest on his latest performances, the 31-year old driver/tuner has set strict benchmarks for his upcoming title chase.

“I always want to improve. Elapsed time-wise, I know we can improve; I plan to do that this weekend. I have new goals for myself and my team to take what was a consistent mid-to-low 5.3s car and turn it into a low 5.3-to-mid-5.2s car. I know we can do it, it's just a matter of getting out there and doing it.

“Performance-wise, we're defending our Lucas Oil Series regional championship. We're also currently leading the Jegs Allstars points for the North Central region. I want to maintain that lead so we can race for our first Allstars title at my home race at Joliet. As far as national points, I believe we have a car that's capable of winning the national championship. We'll see how Charlotte goes. Not that this race will dictate how the whole season will go, but it will give us a good idea,” Brandon concluded.

Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals begins on Friday with runs scheduled for 12:15 and 3:45 PM. Teams will get one final session at 11 AM on Saturday before entering eliminations at 3 PM. Eliminations continue on Sunday.


ABOUT BOOHER RACING
Booher Racing is a father-son NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster team led by owner/crew chief Aaron Booher and his son, driver/tuner Brandon Booher. The AB Construction team holds the title of quickest and fastest torque converter-equipped vehicle in the world. The 2013 NHRA North Central TAD Regional championship-winning Booher Racing team receives support from Motorsports Unlimited Performance Parts Distributors, Spitzer Enterprises, Torque MGMT, and Bell Helmets.

Follow Booher Racing on Facebook (www.facebook.com/booherracing), Twitter (www.twitter.com/booherracing), and Instagram (www.instagram.com/booherracing).

Meyer Qualifies Number One at Power in the Park

Courtesy of Randy Meyer Racing

Randy Meyer Racing recently competed in the Power in the Park event on April 4-5th at Virginia Motorsports Park for the first NHRA Northeast Regional event of the year.

At the end of the day on Friday, team-owner and driver, Randy Meyer, sat 5th in the Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying ranks with a 5.70 e.t. at 268 mph. However, with the second session pushed to Saturday, he was able to improve his tune-up and push the car to run a quick 5.25 e.t. at 273 mph, earning the number one spot in qualifying.

Meyer continued his streak of being untouchable in the opening round of eliminations, as he was able to improve his time and ran low e.t. of the race with a 5.23 e.t. at 275 mph against John Finke’s 5.34 e.t. at 270 mph.

For the second round, Meyer was up against Jackie Fricke, the number 4 qualifier. Meyer was not unable to get around Fricke as he had to quick-pedal the car to stay in the run, running a 5.36 e.t. at 271 mph to Fricke’s 5.32 e.t. at 267 mph.

“It felt great,” said Meyer as he commented on how the car is back to being one of the quickest in the field. “The car has improved greatly since our last outing at the GatorNationals in Gainesville. We plan on being the quickest again at Charlotte, and get the win.”

The Randy Meyer Racing Team will compete next in Charlotte, North Carolina at zMAX Dragway this weekend for the 4-Wide Nationals. "Like" us on Facebook, (/RandyMeyerRacing) for the latest track updates.

The Randy Meyer Racing Team would like to thank their 2014 partners: Lucas Oil, Smart Chicken, NGK Spark Plugs, Quik-Latch Products, Boninfante, Taylor Cable, Motor Medic, Belzona Industrial Solutions, Rezner trailers, ARP, MAHLE Clevite, Hedman Hedders, and Moroso.

Michalek Brothers Racing Storms into 2014

Courtesy of Michalek Brothers Racing
Photos courtesy of David Smith

Corey Michalek eyes rookie debut in 270 MPH A/Fuel Dragster

 

Michalek Brothers Racing’s (MBR) 2013 season behind the wheel of the Dreher Motorsports A/fuel dragster, albeit brief, was one to remember. Coming out of nowhere, then rookie driver Kyle Michalek qualified #2 and finished runner-up at the team’s very first NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event in an A/fuel dragster; the NHRA’s fastest form of semi-professional competition. Fast forward to July and Kyle went on to make a splash in MBR’s NHRA national event debut by successfully qualifying for the field of 16 and gaining the team’s first national exposure on the ESPN2 race broadcast. The season wrapped up with test sessions in August and October at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis when Corey Michalek upgraded his competition license to A/fuel, and closed out 2013 with a 5.55 second blast at over 261mph to set himself up for a 2014 debut.

MBR kicks off its 2014 campaign in two short weeks at Bruton Smith’s “Bellagio of Dragstrips,” ZMAX Dragway, in Charlotte, North Carolina at the 5th Annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals April 11-13. This event marks the rookie competition debut for MBR driver Corey Michalek behind the wheel of a 270MPH A/fuel dragster. Just over one month later MBR will head back to their home track, Summit Motorsports Park, in Norwalk, Ohio where Kyle Michalek hopes to avenge his 2013 runner-up finish at the 8th Annual Mickey Mart Rewards Cavalcade of Stars May 16-18. Corey will then close out the third race on MBR’s 2014 tour celebrating the July 4th weekend in style, once again in Norwalk, at the 8th Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals July 4-6.

After observing one season of competition from outside of the cockpit, Corey looks forward to getting his shot at the best top alcohol dragster drivers in the world.

“Last season was one that we’ll never forget. Kyle did a spectacular job making the transition from Super Comp to the A/fuel dragster class, and I learned so much from observing him as well as working with Randy and Jared Dreher, our partners from Dreher Motorsports,” said Corey. “I enjoyed helping out on the car and soaking up as much knowledge as I could, but my true desire has always been to be competing behind the wheel. The first race of 2014 that we’re running in Charlotte is the biggest moment in my racing career to date, and I have high expectations for myself. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead now that I’ve completed my license upgrade.”

Kyle and Corey will once again be returning to the track with assistance from second-year partners, Dreher Motorsports. The Dreher’s wealth of knowledge in all facets of preparing and handling the 3,500 horsepower dragster was vital in MBR’s success last year, and Kyle looks forward to building upon what has already been a wildly successful partnership.

“Randy and Jared have been great mentors, and that provides confidence knowing they are willing to help Corey and me develop into A/fuel dragster competitors. We appreciate their support, and are greatful for the opportunity to work with their team,” said Kyle.

MBR will continue their successful partnership with Federal Mogul brands in 2014 with support from Champion, Fel-Pro, Sealed Power, and Speed-Pro. Federal-Mogul is a leading global vehicle components manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of quality products, trusted brands and creative solutions to the automotive aftermarket. To learn more about Champion Spark Plugs and other “Performance Driven™” Champion products, visit AlwaysAChampion.com for more information.

For additional MBR information and updates, please “like” the Michalek Brothers Racing Facebook page and follow @MichalekRacing on Twitter and Instagram.

From DNQ to Semifinalist - Don Nolan Enjoys Career-Best Finish at Carolina Nationals

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotion

Photo courtesy of David Smith/PSA

   

MANCHESTER, Ky. (September 18) – Prior to the Carlyle Tools NHRA Carolina Nationals, Top Alcohol Dragster driver Don Nolan had only qualified for two races outside of the 2013 season. He not only qualified for this race, he qualified in the top half of the strong field, ran career-best numbers by a bunch, and beat two of the class’ most accomplished drivers on his way to the semifinals.

Nolan was the talk of the alcohol pits after he drove his VisoneRV.com blown alcohol dragster to the provisional No. 2 spot following two qualifying sessions on Friday, clocking a career-best 5.406 at 263 miles per hour. Though he ran a close 5.45 during Saturday’s final qualifying session, he was bumped to No. 7 in the sixteen-car field.

“We were not expecting that 5.40. I expected maybe a mid to high 5.4 run out of the car this weekend. The crew and I were very excited to see those numbers to close out a difficult season,” said Nolan, owner of Nolan Surveying.

Don would face multi-event winning driver and world championship tuner Randy Meyer in the opening round of eliminations. Racing under the lights at Charlotte, N.C.’s state-of-the-art zMax Dragway, Meyer lost traction early into the run while Nolan clicked off another 5.45 to earn the first round win of his early TAD career.

Another tough competitor would be in the other lane for the quarter-finals. Five-time world champion and Top Alcohol Dragster icon Bill Reichert provided a good race, but it was Don’s VisoneRV.com entry taking the win in a 5.42 to 5.48 match.

“It’s an honor just to race with guys like Meyer and Reichert. To be able to beat them was just unbelievable. When I got to the end of the track, I thought the officials were going to tell me that I red-lighted. I had no idea that Randy smoked the tires,” Nolan said of his round wins.

His luck ran short in the semifinal round. Nolan was thrown off by the staging procedure, double-stepped the throttle, and left too late. A .465 light and 5.50 run wasn’t nearly enough to beat Rich McPhillips’ .005 reaction time and 5.45 run.

The Carlyle Tools Carolina Nationals was still a career weekend for Nolan and his crew of brother Michael Nolan and Mike Saltsman. Don cites a series of small problems for preventing the team from enjoying success earlier in their sophomore season.

“We’ve been fighting little gremlins all season. Errors of inexperience on both ends cost us good runs on multiple occasions. After an oil line came loose and resulted in a DNQ at Columbus, we really started to turn things around,” Don said, adding, “We could have ten people tell us what to change with the fuel management or the clutch, and all ten could tell us something completely different from one another. All ten of them could be right, but I just went back to tuning it based off of what I know. It’s starting to work out for us.”

Nolan Racing is Manchester, Kentucky-based Top Alcohol Dragster team, competing in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. First generation driver Don Nolan pilots the family-owned VisoneRV.com/Nolan Construction blown alcohol dragster. Nolan Racing receives support from Visone RV and Auto Mart, Nolan Construction, Renegade Fuels and Oils, Robinson Meats, Cumberland Gap Bottled Water, and Hot Rods Service Center. To learn more about Nolan Racing, please visit www.facebook.com/392racing.